President George H.W. Bush

1
President George H.W. Bush

• Chapter 26

2
Election of 1988

• Election of 1988
• Candidates
• Republican- George W. Bush
• Democrat- Michael Dukakis
• Issues - Problems of the Reagan administration.
  Iran-Contra Affair.
• Campaign-
• Bush controversy in choosing Dan Quayle as V.P.
• Dukakis snubs Jessie Jackson (Black) for Bentsen.
  
• Willie Horton and Dukakis
• Very Negative campaign with a number of
  Political Action Committees (PAC) money.
• Outcome- Bush wins 54 to 46, but the Democrats
  won the majority in Congress.

3
President George H. W. Bush

• 41st President- 1989-1993- Republican
• Who was he?
• Inauguration Speech
• Read my lips. No new taxes.
• Thousand points of light volunteers
• Campaign against drugs.
• Problems faced
• Large budget deficit and national debt that had
  tripled under Reagan
• Savings and Loan collapse- 500 Billion from
  taxpayers to cover losses.
• Energy department cleanup of nuclear waste- 200
  billion
• Exxon Valdez oil spill

4
President George H. W. Bush

• Foreign Affairs and Problems
• End of Cold War and changes in Europe.
• Tianamen Square in China
• Berlin Wall falls
• START I signed
• Invasion of Panama- Operation Just Cause
• Persian Gulf War- Operation Desert Storm- 38
  days and 100 hours on the ground.
• Lifts sanctions against South Africa
• Aid package to former Soviet Union.
• Domestic Affairs and Problems
• Bush raises taxes
• Inflation soaring
• Anti- Drug Laws
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Bill to reduce federal budget
• Fair labor standards amendment
• Immigration Act of 1990

5
Operation Desert Storm

• August 2 Iraq invades Kuwait.
• August 5 President Bush declares invasion "will
  not stand."
• November 29 UN Security Council authorizes use of
  "all means necessary" to eject Iraq from Kuwait.
• January 12 Congress authorizes use of force.
• January 17 Allied attack begins with Apache
  strike at 238 A.M.
• February 24 Ground attack begins. Schwarzkopf
  decides to accelerate main attack of VII Corps by
  fifteen hours.
• February 26 Iraqis flee Kuwait City. VII Corps
  hits Republican Guard in Battle of 73 Easting.
  February 28 Cease-fire takes effect at 8 A.M.
• June 8 Victory parade in Washington.

6
Election of 1992

• Election of 1992
• Candidates
• Republican- George W. Bush
• Democrat- William Clinton
• Reform Party- Ross Perot
• Issues - primarily around economic issues and the
  end of the Cold War.
• Campaign-
• The third party candidacy of Ross Perot was a
  true wild card in the campaign. Perot, a self
  made billionaire, ran a one-issue campaign -
  deficit reduction.
• Clintons image of youth convinced many to vote
  for him.
• Outcome- Clinton wins close race 43to 38 and
  370 electoral to 168.